This invention relates generally to turbine engines, more particularly to methods and apparatus for operating a pulse detonation engine.
Known pulse detonation engines generally operate with a detonation process having a pressure rise, as compared to engines operating within a constant pressure deflagration. As such, pulse detonation engines may have the potential to operate at higher thermodynamic efficiencies than may generally be achieved with deflagration-based engines.
At least some known hybrid pulse detonation-turbine engines have replaced the steady flow constant pressure combustor within the engine with a pulse detonation combustor that may include at least one pulse detonation chamber. Although such engines vary in their implementation, a common feature amongst hybrid pulse detonation-turbine engines is that air flow from a compressor is directed into the pulse detonation chamber wherein the air is mixed with fuel and ignited to produce a combustion pressure wave. The combustion wave transitions into a detonation wave followed by combustion gases that are used to drive the turbine.
However, known pulse detonation engines generally do not include pulse detonation chamber designs that are optimized to direct steady and spatially uniform flows to the turbine. Rather, with at least some known pulse engines, an output flow from the pulse detonation chamber generally varies over time in both temperature and pressure. Reducing the number of flow variations from the pulse detonation chamber generally improves the performance of pulse detonation engines. More specifically, reduced flow variations may be critical to reducing flow losses, increasing engine efficiency, and increasing power.